The background of the invention will be discussed in two parts:
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to animated toys, and more particularly to animated toys supported by appendages performing a walking motion.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Toys which move or have animated aspects have been a source of amusement for decades, particularly the types of toys in the form of vehicles, humans, animals or insects with some form of propulsion means.
One such early toy is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 538,007, issued Apr. 23, 1895, to Adam, for a "Mechanical Toy", in which a housing in the form of an insect or animal, is provided with spring-motor powered mechanically actuated appendages.
A mechanism for simulating walking movement is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 912,108, entitled "Mechanical Movement", issued to Gaskill, on Feb. 9, 1909, the mechanism including forked cranks for controlling movement of the pivot axes of the leg-like members along a path dictated by a cam member.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,511,928, entitled "Striding Motion Driving Gear for Motor Vehicles", was issued to Zboril, on Oct. 14, 1924, and illustrates a mechanism for performing a walking or striding motion, the mechanism being configured for replacement of the wheels on a motor vehicle, and constructed for enabling the rotary motion of the driving crank to be converted into a horizontal and practically uniform motion of the ends of the levers which form the feet.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,782,477, entitled "Animated Toy", issued to Price, on Nov. 25, 1930, such patent disclosing a housing in the form of an animal with four leg members pivotally connected thereto and operated by a spring-powered motor through a crank and linkages.
Another such animated toy is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 1,986,446, entitled "Walking Figure", issued to Powleson, on Jan. 1, 1935, the toy being in the form of a human having a pair of leg members with the upper portions thereof slotted and driven by eccentric members within the slots driven by a gear mechanism.
Another such animated toy is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,329,564, issued Sept. 14, 1943, to Thomas, for a "Toy Crocodile", the patent disclosing a toy intended for partial use in water with the head and tail thereof synchronized for movement with cam actuated leg drive means.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,366,576, issued to Thomas, on Jan. 2, 1945, entitled "Animated Figure", the figure being in the form of a giraffe with the rear legs fixed relative to the body and the front legs being articulated and cam-driven to propel the figure.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,827,735, entitled "Animated Toy", issued to Grimm, Jr., on Mar. 25, 1958, and discloses a insect-like toy having a plurality of inverted V-shaped legs, the inner ends of the legs being coupled to crank-driven reciprocating bar members for propelling the same.
A "Motor Driven Toy Bug" is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,226,878, issued to Glass et al, on Jan. 4, 1966. In this patent, the toy is configured to resemble the shape of a bug with three legs on each side connected in angular relation to common rotating hubs, with a mechanism provided for changing the speed of movement for a period of time in response to actuation of a lever.
Another animated toy is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,331,463, issued July 18, 1967, to Kramer, the patent being entitled "Motor Operated Ambulatory Vehicle", the vehicle being in the form of an insect with a plurality of leg members pivotally coupled and spring biased relative to the housing with cam followers on the inner ends of the legs. A pair of cam shafts coact with individual cam followers for manipulating the legs.
A "Walking Doll With Ambulatory Traction-Drive Mechanism" is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,484,988, issued Dec. 23, 1969 to Robbins, the doll including a drive mechanism in the lower part of the torso with a crank coacting with slots in the upper part of leg drive members with the foot portions each having a traction mechanism operating through an opening in the sole thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,559,336, issued Feb. 2, 1971 to Nozaki for "Toy Having Capacitance Switch", discloses a figure toy in the form of an animated dog with switch means operating an electric motor to drive the toy, with the switch being operable in response to proximity of a human.
Another animated toy is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,216,612, issued Aug. 12, 1980 to Erickson et al, for "Toy Vehicle", the toy being wheel driven and having appendages spring coupled to the body portion for simulating movement on engaging the supporting surface and being released on overcoming of the friction of the surface.
Another such device is shown and decsribed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,301,615, issued Nov. 24, 1981 to Ikeda for "Toy Having First Member Capable of Going From a First Position to a Second Position and Automatically Returning to the First Position", the device being wheel driven and having the head portion thereof operable between an extended and a retracted position.
An animated device is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,078, issued Feb. 8, 1983, to Spring for "Toy Movable by Alternately Relocating Individual Members of a Pair of Body Parts", the toy being in the form of a pair of shoes coupled together with a crank mechanism actuated by a spring motor.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved animated toy.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved animated toy simulating a insect.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved animated toy having removable appendages.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved animated toy having appendages rotatably coupled to the body and operated by two-sided cam members.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved motor operated animated toy in the form of an insect with a drive mechanism realistically simulating the walking motion of a six-legged insect.